Keep it in the Community: ICBA Encourages Consumers to Go Local for the Holidays

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With all things “community” in mind, the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) and the nation’s more than 6,000 community banks are encouraging consumers to Go Local for the Holidays. With an estimated 28 million small businesses in the United States, locally owned and operated companies are a great spot for consumers to visit throughout the season for their holiday purchases.

As consumers create their shopping lists and plan for the holidays, it’s important to remember that many small businesses offer exceptional products and services.

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB)November 23, 2015

With all things “community” in mind, the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) and the nation’s more than 6,000 community banks are encouraging consumers to Go Local for the Holidays. With an estimated 28 million small businesses in the United States, locally owned and operated companies are a great spot for consumers to visit throughout the season for their holiday purchases. When you support locally owned and operated businesses by shopping or dining locally, $68 of every $100 spent stays in the local economy.

“As consumers create their shopping lists and plan for the holidays, it’s important to remember that many small businesses offer exceptional products and services,” said ICBA Chairman Jack Hartings, president and CEO of The Peoples Bank Co. in Coldwater, Ohio. “By going local for the holidays, you can make a huge difference in your local economy by putting dollars back to work close to home. Not only that, but you’ll be supporting local residents who open the doors to community reinvestment through entrepreneurism—something that always helps communities shine brightly.”

As the primary source of lending for the nation’s small businesses, community banks will continue to help create small businesses and launch entrepreneurs’ dreams across the nation. In fact, community banks with less than $10 billion in assets make more than half of all small businesses loans under $1 million.

ICBA will host its Go Local Wednesday on Dec. 16. ICBA’s Go Local Wednesday encourages community bankers and consumers from across the nation to visit locally owned and operated businesses and restaurants to support community entrepreneurs and to share their experiences on social media. ICBA continues to host Go Local Wednesday on the third Wednesday of every month so the spirit of Go Local carries through all year long. For more information on ways to participate in Go Local Wednesday, follow @ICBA on Twitter or the hashtag #GoLocal.

To learn more about ICBA’s Go Local initiative and how community banks support local small business, visit http://www.icba.org/golocal or follow the hashtag #GoLocalHolidays. To find a community bank in your area, visit ICBA’s Community Bank Locator at http://www.banklocally.org.

About ICBA
The Independent Community Bankers of America®, the nation’s voice for more than 6,000 community banks of all sizes and charter types, is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education and high-quality products and services. For more information, visit http://www.icba.org.